As Marshall B. Ketchum University evolves into an interprofessional institution, it is preparing both its curriculum and technology for the future of medical education in which technology is especially important to learning and growth for both students and the university.

What follows is a press release heralding the dedication of our new Sim Lab made possible from a generous estate gift from alumnus, Joseph F. Taylor, OD, and his wife, Peggy.

Just as myself speaking frankly, this VRmagic Simulator is AWESOME! It helps students learn both direct ophthalmoscopy and indirect binocular ophthalmoscopy (a.k.a BIO), especially the latter being a difficult procedure to perform with skill and proficiency. Without it, students must learn how to do these procedures on each other, their classmates. In case you’re wondering, “No,” it is not fun to be practiced on by a new student who awkwardly must learn how to do this procedure while shining a super-bright light for an uncomfortably long time into a classmate’s pupil that must be widely dilated! Classmates have to beg and plead to get each other to be guinea pigs!

With VRmagic, now our students have a willing virtual patient who can handle bright lights and awkward student doctors for endless hours of practice. Not only that, but the system has a library of case studies and pathologies that a student doctor—even a practicing doctor—would be lucky to see in a lifetime of patient care. It gradually ramps up the degree of difficulty, which is just perfect for the newbie. It also has a learning feature which a case in the way patients present, which means the VRmagic simulator presents the signs and symptoms as they unfold so that the student doctor may work through the case, same as he or she would with a real live patient.

Best of all, students may access the VRmagic Sim Lab on their own schedule and learn at their own pace.

I cannot say enough about how cool this is! We are the only California school to have this, the latest in medical education technology. Take a look at this, our newest virtual reality technology in this article and video that follows…

SCCO Installs VRmagic Medical Simulators On Campus

The new simulation lab will be named for 1949 alumnus and Santa Barbara optometrist Joseph F. Taylor at a formal dedication ceremony.

FULLERTON, CA. – Marshall B. Ketchum University will hold a ceremony on March 28, 2016 to dedicate its new simulation lab and celebrate SCCO’s innovative approach to using technology in its curriculum.